* * * *
“Oh my God, that’s our woman,” Drake stated as Mark pulled up the pictures from the cell phone. Matt had sent them from Sage.
“My God, she looks incredible,” Lucas said.
“Sage sent a video, too, of her in action.” Mark connected it to the computer screen and they all watched it.
“She’s a fucking natural. Shit,” Lucas said.
“She’s going to want to continue with this. How could we ask her to not do it when she looks so happy?” Mark asked.
“We can’t. We said we would make changes in our lives. We know she means everything to us. We’ll be supportive if she wants to continue in this career,” Drake said.
“She’ll have to travel a lot, I bet,” Lucas said, sounding upset.
“We can go with her, or at least one of us,” Mark said as he ended the video and pulled Diane’s photo up onto the screen.
“I feel fucking jealous and like ripping something apart,” Lucas admitted.
“So do I,” Drake added.
“We all feel that way because she’s finally ours and we don’t want to lose her to some other guy or guys. It’s natural,” Mark stated.
“That doesn’t make it easier to digest. Why hasn’t she called?” Drake asked.
“Sage texted and said they were headed to the hotel, and that Diane was exhausted. They have a party in the hotel tonight and an early flight back here tomorrow. One more night with her away, and then we can keep her in bed for the week,” Mark said.
Lucas chuckled. “Our woman won’t have that and you know it.”
“After what she pulled before she left, I wouldn’t
underestimate Diane for a second,” Mark said, but Drake and Lucas looked serious.
“Why the hell did you have to bring that up? We haven’t been able to make love to her for four days,” Lucas said.
“Because, I know in twenty-four hours, she’ll almost be back home in Pearl and we can make love to her as much as we like,” Mark said as the private phone on his desk began to ring. Drake and Lucas smiled as they looked at the picture on the screen.
Mark answered the call, and sat forward in his seat. “Say that again?” He felt his chest tighten as he listened to his commander.
“Cody Jobs is dead. Ray Segar is in intensive care, not sure if he’ll make it. His girlfriend didn’t. Marzban and his men are in New York. They’ve got a shipment coming in and some kind of meeting, if our informants are correct. We’ve got over a hundred federal agents and special local units initiating a raid. We’re going to bring these men down,” Commander Weathers told him.
“My God, any sign of Brenda?”
“None.”
“Shit. Keep me posted on Ray’s condition.”
“I will. Sit tight, and I’ll call when it’s all over.”
Mark disconnected the call.
“What’s wrong?” Drake asked and Mark explained.
“That’s terrible.”
Just then Mark’s cell phone rang. He looked at it, almost afraid to see who would be calling and what bad news was coming next. He was filled with mixed emotions. He wanted to be in the field, but he was done with this. His focus was Diane and that was who was on the phone.
“It’s Diane,” he said, and his brothers smiled.